seminolewar

December 28th

Sorry for the lack of updates. I have some other family issues that currently require my attention.

Anyway, December 28th is important for two anniversaries during the Second Seminole War.

This is the 175th anniversary of Dade's Battle.

We have the reenactment this weekend. I was at the 150th anniversary reenactment in 1985, but was in the audience. I knew many participants, and decided to participate a few months later at Fort Cooper. Since then, you can see what has happened. It had been my passion more than half my life.

Since that first event at Fort Cooper, one of the reenactors gave me the name of Okahumpkee, that I have kept ever since. I have been wondering if I should also by by the name Nagose Hadjo, which was also my name. But I am getting off the subject.

Anyway, probably everyone here knows about Dade Battle. If not, come see us at the reenactment this weekend at Dade Battlefield Historic State Park near Bushnell.

The other event that was on December 28th was in 1840. I researched this battle 15 years ago and did a paper presentation at the Florida Anthropological conference in Sarasota. It was a forgotten battle.

On Dec. 28th, 1840, a small command of soldiers were going from Ft. Micanopy, 8 miles to Ft. Wacahoota. What should have been an uneventful Sunday ride turned into an ambush. And it was one of the bloodiest battles during the war. Although not many soldiers were involved, many of them were killed, and it was very brutal. Among those killed was Mrs. Montgomery, wife of a young officer at Micanopy. The death of her caused outrage and investigation from Joel Poinsett, Secretary of War. It was a significant event, but in modern times, largely forgotten.

Well I wish I could say more, but I have covered these in the past, and you can see more information on my web page at http://www.southernhistory.us . Even if I have not updated the web page since 2007, the information is still the same.